This invention concerns improvements in and relating to fluid delivery devices including but not limited to taps. More especially the invention concerns a system and method for the installation of taps that allows the installation to be carried out from above a mounting surface on, for example a sink, washbasin, bidet, bath or the like.
When installing a tap, the incoming hot and cold water supplies must be isolated either centrally by closing off a stop-cock for the incoming water supply to the property or by closing isolating valves fitted either locally to a specific tap or to a group of taps. The tap is located on the mounting surface and an externally threaded shank extends through an opening in the mounting surface onto which a nut and washer is screwed to engage the underside of the mounting surface to locate and retain the tap in position. This is usually achieved by holding the tap in the correct orientation in one hand above the mounting surface and manually screwing the nut and washer onto the shank with the other hand from below the mounting surface with the other hand. The nut can be tightened with a spanner from below the mounting surface to firmly secure the tap in position. A supply pipe is then screwed onto the shank from under the mounting surface to connect the tap to a supply of hot or cold water. Mixer taps require separate connections to supplies of hot and cold water.
A disadvantage of the above method is that access to the underside of the mounting surface is often restricted. As a result, it can be difficult both to tighten the nut and washer so that the tap is firmly secured in position and to connect the supply pipe(s) to the tap in a fluid tight manner during installation. Furthermore, it can be difficult to rectify any leakage that occurs from the connection(s) following installation.
The present invention has been made from a consideration of the foregoing and seeks to overcome or at least mitigate one or more of the aforementioned problems and disadvantages of the prior art.